Obama Chimes in on Net Neutrality

US President Barack Obama has come out in support of net neutrality by suggesting that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) reclassifies the internet as a utility.

“To put these protections in place, I’m asking the FCC to reclassify internet service under Title II of a law known as the Telecommunications Act,” Obama said in a statement. He added, “In plain English, I’m asking [the FCC] to recognize that for most Americans, the internet has become an essential part of everyday communication and everyday life.” The changes would mean that internet service would need to be treated in the same way as water or gas, meaning that ISPs would act as the ‘dumb pipe’ providing unfettered internet access, without any control as to what they sell and without being able to favour certain companies or services to benefit their business.

Obama outlined 4 major points in his statement, saying that ISPs would be restricted from blocking sites delivering legal content, they’d be banned from intentionally slowing down or speeding up certain sites or services and perhaps most importantly, they wouldn’t be able to offer paid-for ‘fast lane’ provisions for certain companies willing to pay for them at the detriment of other internet traffic. Interestingly, Obama also asks that these rules be applied to mobile internet providers as well. This would be significant in itself, as mobile providers have not at all been subject to the same restrictions as wired providers.